Home » Tech News » A Comparison Of A CR and A DR System: Which Is Best For Your Needs?

A Comparison Of A CR and A DR System: Which Is Best For Your Needs?

Traditional radiography is no longer in vogue – it has been replaced by computed radiography and digital radiography, two systems that use improvements in technology for both faster and cheaper image acquisition. The fact is that old-fashioned radiography is no longer efficient, and medical institutions all over the world are switching to the modern methods – with good reason. But what exactly are computed radiography and digital radiography, and how do they differ? Here, then, is a quick comparison between the two, and a guide on how to decide which is best for your needs.

CR versus DR – what’s the difference?

There is a big difference between computed radiography and digital radiography – the main difference is that, although both ensure digital imaging, the computed radiography makes a digital image of a traditionally acquired image, whilst the digital radiography skips that step and goes straight to digital acquisition.

To make this clear, you need to understand the traditional way of radiography. Old-school technology makes use of a cassette which stores the image – and this is then developed, much like a traditional photo is. Computed radiography still makes use of the cassette (a more sophisticated version thereof), but the image can be scanned digitally; it doesn’t have to be developed the traditional way.

Digital radiography, however, is more modern and no longer uses any analog systems – the image is immediately converted to digital format because of the way the picture is taken; there is no more cassette, only the digital receiver.

The Advantages of Computed Radiography

The CR system costs less than the DR system, which is why often, radiologists, doctors, and veterinarians prefer to install CR rather than DR.

CR units still retain their compatibility with traditional X-ray machines, which allows for an easy transition and back-up.

The Advantages of Digital Radiography

The images are developed in about five seconds – which puts it way ahead in terms of speed compared to traditional film or even CR.

DR systems come with special software that allow doctors to zoom in, rotate images, and make notes on the digital image, which greatly enhances their effectiveness and diagnostic abilities.

If you’re still using the old-school method of acquiring your images, it’s only a matter of time before you’ll find yourself in a situation where you’ll have to modernise; and that’s actually a good thing. It would be your choice to see if you want to completely switch to digital radiography, or take it one step at a time and opt for computed radiography first. Both options – a DR and a CR system – have their pros and cons, so these decisions have to be made with careful consideration.